Bipolar disorder and what are some of the treatment options.
As of recent it seems that Catherine Zeta Jones has been in the news mainly because of her struggle with bipolar disorder. This is a particularly difficult condition that is very hard not only to live with but also to treat. The roots of the condition date back many generations but only as of the 20th century was this condition actually diagnosed. In essence it is a psychiatric diagnosis that involves a serious of mood disorders resulting in a wide range of mood levels which may actually range anywhere from elation to downright depression. Health care professionals have tried for many years to be able to not only diagnose the condition but also to treat it. And to date it appears that the only alternative for helping the medical condition involves the use of special medication. The most common medication that is prescribed is lithium. However there are some complications and side effects that do occur with this medicine. One of the most common side effects is irregular heartbeat as well as trouble breathing that can occur quite frequently in direct response to the medicine. As a result, physicians have been in quite a tough situation in that really to date lithium is the only solution to help with bipolar disorder however it does have these very serious side effects that can actually lead to other health issues. Many health care professionals along with the medication also recommend patients to utilize a home health device known as a pulse oximeter. The reason for this is because the device is made specifically for two functions and those two functions are for the measurement of the pulse rate as well as the oxygen levels in the body. Essentially the patient that is taking the bipolar medicine will simply use the pulse oximeter sparingly throughout the day to monitor both their heartbeat as well as the oxygen levels. If at any moment their numbers seem to be out of the ordinary realm then they can simply phone their physician and ask for further professional assistance in what they should do. What truly makes this health condition difficult is because it can have devastating effects on a person’s life in general. Without proper treatment it can actually progress to the point where the person may feel that they would not even want to leave their homes. Because really the medicine is the only treatment option right now it is also recommended by doctors to use it in conjunction with a pulse oximeter for safe health monitoring.
